


A Fair Trade

by AceOnIce



Series: WINGO fics [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Comfort No Hurt, Communication, Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, Malec Discord Sever WINGO, little bit of crack near the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:22:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23693074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceOnIce/pseuds/AceOnIce
Summary: Magnus helps Alec through a molt, but insists on keeping the feathers.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: WINGO fics [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701433
Comments: 32
Kudos: 342
Collections: Fluff vs. Angst Battle 2020, Wingo Summer





	A Fair Trade

**Author's Note:**

> For the Wingo square: molting

“Is something wrong?” 

Alec freezes mid-twitch, the bottom of his wing draped over his lap where he’s been absentmindedly combing through the feathers. 

His wings _itch_ and have twitched no less than twenty times in the five minutes he’s been lounging on Magnus’ couch. Magnus must have noticed from where he's sitting across from Alec, phone in one hand, a martini in the other. 

Alec sighs and sits up, wings ruffling behind him. He grimaces when a few feathers fall to the floor. “Sorry.” 

“I wasn’t seeking an apology. I’m just curious. Are your wings bothering you?” 

Alec picks up one of the feathers that had fallen onto the cushion next to him, and runs it between his fingers, staring at the shimmery blue surface. “I’m molting."

“Molting?” Magnus repeats, setting down his phone and leaning forward in his chair. He’s studying Alec intently. “What does that entail?” 

Alec gathers the fallen feathers from the floor and looks over the six feathers in his hand. “Twice a year I get new feathers and the older ones fall out to make room. Usually Izzy or Jace help me pick out the old feathers before it gets to this point, but with the rift opening two days ago and then all the paperwork, we haven't had time. Isabelle is going to meet me tomorrow.” 

“Is it painful?” 

“The new feathers are sensitive but losing old ones doesn’t hurt. The whole process of losing feathers is just itchy. Some of them fall and then get caught with the other feathers and some are about to fall.” 

Magnus's eyes trail over one of Alec’s wings, the one splayed over the top of the couch. The other is tucked into his side where he can pick at some of the loose feathers around the edges. “When Jace and Isabelle help you, they just pick out the old feathers?” 

“Yeah,” Alec gently presses a finger to a new feather at the bottom of his wing. It’s shiny and small, but they grow quickly. In a matter of weeks his wings will be back to normal. 

“Can I help?” 

Alec’s eyes widen because Magnus looks earnest. “You want to? I thought you didn’t like my wings.” 

“Why would you think that?” 

Alec shrugs, feeling his wing rustle with the movement. Another feather is knocked loose and he bites back a groan. _Molting is annoying._ “They’re a Nephilim thing and I know I’m the first Shadowhunter you’ve dated. With everything that Shadowhunters have done to Downworlders, I just thought... you wouldn’t like them.” 

Magnus swallows the rest of his martini and the empty glass disappears. “They’re no more a reminder of what you are than your runes, and you know I love your runes.” 

Alec feels a flush rise, unbidden, to his cheeks. Magnus has made it abundantly clear that he enjoys sucking marks over Alec’s deflect rune. They've also experimented with several runes in the bedroom, often to Magnus' delight. “I just, you never touch them, so I assumed.” 

“I thought you didn’t want me to touch them,” Magnus says softly, rising from his chair to join Alec on the sofa. He sits next to the wing Alec has curled over himself, studying it with his eyes, not trying to touch. “You always keep them out of reach or curled behind your back. I thought it might hurt or make you uncomfortable if I touched them.” 

Alec almost laughs because clearly they should have talked about this earlier. “I was doing that for your benefit.” 

They share small smiles before Magnus looks at the wing curled over Alec’s arm. “Can I touch it then?” 

“Yeah, just be careful of the new feathers?” 

Magnus runs his fingers ever so gently over the ridge of Alec’s wing, down to the last feather. “They’re beautiful.” Alec ducks his head, fighting back another blush. “Would you like me to help you with the molting?” 

“If you really don’t mind? It would be nice to do it now.” He was expecting to have a sleepless night of itchy wings and desperately trying to keep feathers from being lost in Magnus' bed.

“I don’t mind at all.” Magnus leans in, mindful of Alec’s wing, and Alec meets him halfway. Their lips connect in a brief kiss before Magnus pulls back. “What is the best way to do this?” 

Alec stands, unfurling and stretching his wings behind him, glaring at the feathers that drift down like snowflakes. Before he can pick them up, they vanish.

He glances at Magnus and finds a small smirk on his lips. Alec rolls his eyes, but leads Magnus to the kitchen. He pulls one of the chairs away from the table and straddles it, leaning his chest against the backing so he can open his wings behind him. “It's easiest if you start near the spine and work your way out. Just sift through the feathers and most of the old ones will fall out easily. You might notice a couple that need a little tug.” 

“Won’t that hurt?” Magnus’ hand is resting between his wings, a comforting warmth against Alec's skin. 

“No more than a pinch. And it’s better than leaving them.” 

Magnus hums and Alec feels his other hand begins shifting through the feathers on Alec’s right wing, close to his spine, carefully running over them. “You should have told me earlier.” 

“Sorry.” Alec crosses his arms over the chair’s backing and rests his forehead on them. The feel of Magnus’ fingers in his wings is more calming than he’d anticipated. 

Magnus is quiet for a moment as he works through the first layer of feathers. By the time he reaches the second layer Alec is almost dozing, lulled to comfort until Magnus asks, “Nephilim aren’t born with wings are they?” 

It takes Alec a second to understand the question. Then he shakes his head against his arms. “They start coming in when we’re about five.” 

“Is the coloring genetic? Your wings don’t look like your parents or like Isabelle's.” 

“I’m not sure. Izzy would know better than me, but I think it’s partly genetic.” Magnus hums, considering the information. Alec lets his eyes fall closed, teasing, “Trying to get top secret Shadowhunter secrets out of me?” 

Magnus snorts. “I didn’t realize your wings were secret, considering they’re at least six feet long and shedding all over my apartment.” 

Alec grins against his forearm. “Sorry. It’s worse when they’re molting. I’ve been trying to pick up the feathers, but there’s so many.” 

“It’s quite alright. I enjoy finding your feathers in my apartment.” 

“Really? Why?” 

Magnus gently pries a loose feather from Alec’s wing bone. His wing flutters habitually despite the barely-there pinprick of pain. “They remind me of you.” 

He doesn’t know what to say to that, so he simply swallows hard and tries not to overthink the implications of Magnus' words.

They return to silence while Magnus continues working his way through Alec's feathers. When he reaches the tip of Alec’s right wing, Alec straightens his spine, stretching his hands over his head, and turns around. A giant pile of long blue feathers adorns the kitchen table. 

He gawks at it. “You can throw those away.” 

Magnus glares at him and slides between Alec and the table, arms spread out protectively. “No, they’re mine.” 

“Wha- why?” He can understand the sentiment behind keeping one feather, but why would Magnus want _that many?_

Magnus huffs before his eyes light up in a way that makes Alec instantly wary. It means Magus has an idea. 

Sure enough, Magnus steps closer, pressing his clothed chest to Alec’s bare one. While a fair amount of Alec's shirts are made to accommodate his wings, he still finds them restricting. A fact that Magnus is willing to take advantage of when it means having a shitless Alec lounging around his loft. 

Magnus presses his palm to Alec’s chest, trailing it over his clavicle, dancing his fingers along Alec’s neck before gently cupping his face. He presses their lips together for a soft kiss. Alec falls into it, despite knowing Magnus is up to something. He’ll never turn down a chance to kiss his boyfriend.

His hands find Magnus’ arms, resting there, holding him close. 

When Magnus disconnects their lips, he presses kisses along Alec’s jaw to his ear. In a voice soft as satin, he asks, “May I please keep the feathers?” 

Alec doesn't allow himself to be swayed so easily, “Why do you want them?” 

“How about I make a trade?” Magnus suggests, letting go of Alec just enough to magic his shirt away. He blinks and the glamour on his eyes falls away, revealing his golden cat eyes- a completely unfair move. 

Alec eyes him warily even as his first instinct at seeing Magnus' eyes is to go soft. “What kind of trade?” 

Magnus’ wicked smirk answers all of his questions. “I’ll do that thing you like.” 

“You’ll do it anyways,” Alec says, calling his bluff. 

“Please, may I have them?” Magnus’ eyes widen in a way that would be comedic in any other situation. He runs his nose along Alec’s, whispering against his lips, “I’ll make it worth it to you.” One of his hands scratches down Alec’s back, under his wings. 

Alec groans as his objections fade. He grips Magnus’ hips instead of his shoulders, pressing against him. “Fine you can have them.” 

“Wonderful.” Magnus punctuates the word by bringing their lips back together. He promptly proceeds to make good on his promise that the trade would be ‘worth it’ to Alec. Hours later, exhausted and sated, Alec thinks he got the better end of the deal.

After that Alec starts finding all sorts of objects around Magnus' loft that have been tied, taped, and glued to the feathers. Magnus has a drawer full of feather pens in his study, feather cat toys decorate the floor, feather artwork appears on the walls.

Alec's personal favorite is the feather jewelry. 

Magnus shows up at the Institute one day to reinforce the wards, wearing a feather on a chain around his neck, proudly on display. Another feather has been cut short and dangles from his ear. Alec likes it so much he decides he’ll give Magnus all the feathers he wants. 

**Author's Note:**

> My Tumblr: https://aceon-ice.tumblr.com/


End file.
